As they continue to remodel their roster, searching for the right set of pieces for a championship puzzle, the Atlanta Hawks will enter the offseason with a two first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. The highest of those picks (13th overall) will be in the back half of the lottery. With it, the Hawks will hope to attain a rotation-level player.<\/p>\n
Atlanta\u2019s choice is layered though.<\/p>\n
The Hawks could simply opt to draft the best player available. To be frank, their starting lineup seems all but set in stone. Yet, it\u2019s possible that they can find upgrades in the wing or frontcourt.<\/p>\n
If Atlanta prioritizes team needs, then they could look to solidify their second unit. With that in mind, their depth is questionable at every position. Is playmaker Vit Krejci<\/a> a point guard or a jumbo-sized wing? Does Mouhamed Gueye<\/a> play over Georges Niang<\/a>, as he did towards the end of 2024-25? Is Gueye primarily a power forward or center? Will Kobe Bufkin<\/a>, a combo guard, stay off the injury report long enough to develop?<\/p>\n Amid those questions, Michigan State freshman guard Jase Richardson<\/a> \u201chas been connected to<\/a> the Hawks throughout the pre-draft process,\u201d per Yahoo Sports senior analyst Kevin O\u2019Connor.<\/p>\n The rationale behind the Hawks drafting Richardson with the 13th overall pick has been covered by Last Word on Sports on a couple of occasions<\/a>. Those looking for a scouting report on Richardson can find one here<\/a>. However, he\u2019s essentially a prospect who can be a long-term backup<\/a> for franchise point guard Trae Young.<\/p>\n At the offensive end, Richardson is heady and confident, playing with a comfort-level that\u2019s common for someone with his pedigree. After all, Richardson is<\/em> the son of Jason Richardson<\/a>, who averaged 17.1 points per game in his 13-year NBA career. He\u2019s obviously much smaller than his father, who was listed at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds, but he\u2019s a strong finisher nonetheless.<\/p>\n Jase Richardson is a combo guard who has the ability to play on or off the ball at a high level in the NBA.<\/p>\n The Michigan State product is a very good shot-maker at all three levels. Silky smooth pull-up from the mid-range and behind the arc. Thrives as a spot-up shooter where he\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Mwr1mhhsuI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) May 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nWhy Draft Jase Richardson?<\/h3>\n
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